Other Candidates Youth Platforms

Two weeks ago, TYPS asked the fringe candidates these 3 questions to under their platforms better. These are the responses we received:

1. Toronto’s Youth Priority Symposium brings together youth 16-29 years old to create a youth dialogue with the mayoral candidates. How does your platform affect Toronto’s youth? Please elaborate.

2. According to the article “Youth feel Political Disconnect” (Toronto Star 06/22/09), youth “don’t feel like they are informed enough about how to vote and also they don’t feel like their vote is going to change anything.” How would you address this and include youth in the electoral process?

3. There is a growing interest amongst young people to start their own businesses. What supports will you make available for young entrepreneurs?

John Letonja 1. To get them to learn on the job training on doing jobs for the city. Toronto has to be a school so they can learn and build this city the youths will have a big part of this. 2. I am for this, I want the youths to have a say on everything that we do in the city, the youth is are further they will get to know what is going on, we can have city hall concerts that we will hold, and any band that is just starting out will have a chance to perform and the youth will know, and they can have fun knowing it. This will not cost the city allot of money to do this. 3. To teach them where to go and how to do it to start a business. David Vallance 1. I have the only platform that works for everyone. If you listen carefully to all the prominent candidates you will hear an endless stream of how they are going to fix things. That has been going on for 20 years and I concluded the model is broken. Ontario treats the city as a “creature of the province” and uses it as a “cash cow”. My platform will free Toronto from Provincial domination and make a new Province in Canada. This will give us control over many things and allow the city to function at closer to its potential. Youth will benefit most as the economy will grow much faster. 2. As a Province we would be free to set our own policies and priorities. If you vote for the “status quo” nothing will change, so why vote? 3. The province taxes Toronto based businesses much higher than the rest of the province. That would be one of the first things that needs changing. The liberals have known of the problem since they were first elected but have been dragging their feet because the constituency for them is much greater outside the city. Wendell Brereton 1. We foresee a 22nd Century city where the generation of today’s youth will be the the minds that run our city. Therefore we believe it is important to invest and develop these future leaders. We believe our emphasis on green technology is one part of our platform that will stimulate the education sector causing our youth to be well versed in a new green fuel and propulsion industry. Our youth research and development grants will invest in the brightness of our youth ensuring they have the resources to be great. Our policy for our young people will partner government with the next generation in the arts recreation politics, education and technology. 2. Show them the benefits empower them with knowledge of the power of municipal government to drastically affect and change their lives. 3. Entrepreneurial initiatives engage the creativity of a generation. Inspiration is the basis of all innovation. We intend to be a stimulate of successful startups assisting marginalized groups to get key assistance to ensure business longevity. Sonny Yeung 1. I am emphasizing Education see my mid January comments at www.sonnyyeung.com 2. I would reach out to young people; generation X & Y through online media and have a registration drive. I am the most environmentally friendly mayoral candidate given I am one of the younger candidates. 3. I would introduce a Project Economy. This will encourage social entrepreneurship. I would provide grants for starting businesses located in Toronto. I would encourage young people to look at energy and environmental jobs.